ISLAMABAD: World Health Organization and INGO’s must be allowed to avoid Coronavirus catastrophe in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJK) as lack of Screening and Test Looms can cause havoc, Altaf Ahmed Bhat, Senior Hurriyat leader and President Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement here on Sunday.
Kashmiris are facing a lockdown of more than seven months and the current situation if not taken on humanitarian grounds will cause terrible problems for Kashmir, Bhat said while addressing a gathering.
He said that India is not taking precautionary measures, nor providing health facilities in IoJK in a bid to traumatize and inflict harm to the Kashmiri people.
After the revocation of Article 350 and 35A the situations in IOJK worsened, people suffered Mentally, Physically, Economically, Financially, and Socially, he maintained, adding that now with the new challenge i.e COVID-19, the besieged people of Kashmir are at greater risk because this Virus spreads at an alarming speed, and if not controlled or treated well it would engulf large sum of population.
“We have examples in front of us, Italy, Spain and Germany where within a month the affected cases surpassed 50 – 60 thousand, and despite being developed countries with developed Healthcare institution they couldn’t minimize the loss of lives”, the Hurriyat leader said.
Altaf Ahmed Bhat further said that Hospitals in IoJK have an acute shortage of doctors and paramedics, while its healthcare facilities are insufficient to meet the crisis which has unsettled countries with world-class medical infrastructure. Given the situation, residents of the valley fear the potentially disastrous consequences of the coronavirus pandemic after the first coronavirus related death in the region on Thursday, he added.
Healthcare Researchers and Doctors have noticed that this virus thrives in lower temperatures, and support their argument with the rising cases of death and affectees in Italy, Spain and the USA that lower temperature geographies are most prone to the effect of this Virus, he said.
While the Indian Government and Local administration at IoJK are not prepared for the worst, they are not Testing actively for the positive cases. This could lead to catastrophe if not addressed NOW.” Bhat added.
Altaf Ahmed Bhat appealed to the World Health Organization and all International Organizations to act practically, pressurize India and save the lives of besieged Kashmiris from the catastrophe of Coronavirus.
Showing concern over the illegal detention of Kashmiri Hurriyat Leaders, Altaf Bhat said that this virus spreads fastly in Jails, and every country releases the prisoners to save their life, but the Indian government is deliberately keeping the Hurriyat Leaders in jails.
International humanitarian Organizations must pressurize Indian Fascist government to release Dr Hameed Fayaz, Zafar Akber Bhat, Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi’, Shabir Ahmed Shah, Masarat Aalam Butt and all other Kashmiri prisoners unconditionally, President JKSM appealed.
The blockade of the Internet in IOJK amid alarming threat of the spread of COVID-19, Kashmir also faces a crippling blockade of high-speed internet which has effectively hampered an effective awareness campaign among the people as well as among doctors, Bhat said
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